“This is a beautifully presented critique—in the classic sense of the word—of some of Friedrich Hayek’s later work on the evolution of liberal capitalism. Throughout, Beck imparts a clarity to Hayek’s theory of cultural evolution that can sometimes remain elusive in Hayek’s own writings. It will prove incredibly useful and illuminating for readers from backgrounds in intellectual history, the history of science, and the history of economic thought.”
— Paul H. Erickson, Wesleyan University
"Hayek's defense of free societies has recently regained much attention. In this magnificent book Naomi Beck presents a rich and illuminating analysis of how Hayek's ideas were formed. Her critical reconstruction is a must-read for everyone interested in an authentic portrayal of this great twentieth-century thinker."
— Ulrich Witt, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Jena
"This brief volume offers a critical memorial for Hayek, the free-market prophet, from the perspective of his later works. . . . Recommended."
— Choice
"Naomi Beck has done a brilliant task of explicating Hayek's use of a cultural argument emphasising group selection as the impulse to understanding the decentralised market order. . . . Beck's book offers the best systematic exploration of this aspect of Hayek's thinking to date. . . . Beck's overview of Hayek's notion of cultural evolution still, and I would say more than she gives credit, enjoys a huge relevancy in such areas as, for example, histories on the origins of the Industrial Revolution. Beck's excellent book is an important addition to our understanding of Hayek's work, and his impact upon economics and economic history."
— H-Net Reviews
"An all-out critique of Hayek’s appeal to 'group selection' (i.e., economies that survived because they were the fittest and most unplanned). With razor-sharp acumen, Beck systematically dismantles a host of inconsistencies and contradictions within this particular strain of Hayek’s thought, thereby casting a shadow on unbridled capitalism in the modern world. . . . A valuable read for anyone deeply interested in the thought of Hayek and in the relationship between evolution and free-market capitalism."
— EH.net